Wachta



V. WACHTA SEWERAGE SYSTEM July 11, 1950 2 Sheet-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 27, 1947 INVENTOR. 4 Z!) /z/a/,

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SEWERAGE SYSTEM Filed Sept. 27, 1947 2 She-ts-Sheet 2 u 1 I N O I M p v m 4 10 1 .y r r 5 v \r Patented July 11, 1950 r SEWERAGE SYSTEM Victor Wachta, Hammond, Ind., assignorto General Drainage & Pipe Cleaners, Inc., Hammond, Ind., a corporation of Indiana I Application September 27, 1947, Serial No. 776,576

to improvements in sew- The sewerage systemsemployed in municipali tieshave become more or less standardized in arg rangemen't, .to include a network of main sewer lines disposed along street centers, and communieating with catch basins centrally disposed at street intersections or at intermediate points,

each of said catch basins including a manhole .with; a removable. cover. Water from'the gutters is-led-through drains located-along the gutters, usually at corner intersections and communicating through'pipe linesfto the central catch basins. $ewerage outlets from buildings along the street vare ledinto the main sewerage lines at suitable points between adjacent street intersections.

M. It is a common occurrencefor the sewer lines to become rapidly overloaded and to back up during sudden ,downpours of rain. It has been shown that these-Y difficulties are not merely due to in- 7 Claims. (Cl. 182-2) jUNITsD-YsTAT S AT OFFICE auxiliary reservoirs are provided with a siphon system arrangedto evacuatemost of the water from each reservoir into the main sewerage system, after each excessive rainfall, so as to put said auxiliary reservoirs in condition for the next heavy rain.

My invention may best be understood by reference tothe accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is in part diagrammatic, to illustrate a typical fragmentary portion of the sewerage systern as applied to a city street.

V Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view ofthe sewerage system at one street intersection, with the basins shown in horizontal section.

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken along the longitudinal axis of, the system shown in Figure 2 Figure 4 is a vertical section similar to that shown in Figure 3 but illustrating a modified arrangement of the siphon system.

Referring to the illustrative arrangement of the sewerage system shown in thedrawings, l8

indicates the main sewer lines or conduits which adequacy in the size ofthe mainv sewers or conduits employedin the sewerage system, but is usually attributable.in large measure to the arrangement of the sewer lines, catch basins and lead incconduits to the system whereby air or gas pockets are formed in themain sewer lines ,which havea tendency to choke and otherwise "interfere with the proper flow and discharge of I ater. whenuthe sewers become overloaded by sudden rains. Y

In present day sewer systems, the catch basins at sewer line intersections are wholly inadequate for relieving the sewer lines of air or gas pockets which tend to choke the system, because of their limited capacity In practice, it has often been demonstrated that the average sewerage system isonly capable of carrying off but a small proportion .of the water as compared with its theoretical capacity based upon the size of the sewer lines, conduits and catch basins. As a result,

many'citiesfind it necessary to install expensive storm sewer systems, in additionto the usual drainage systems.

- .In carrying out myinvention; I provide an improved system employing as itsprincipal features a novel form of relief and expansion catch basin used-at: main sewer line intersectionsyat street corners or' other suitable intervals, and in association with each relief expansion catch basin I provide drainage inlets "and auxiliary resermay be laid as usual along each street at or near the center thereof. vThese main sewer lines lead into main catch basins H, H at each corner intersection. as indicated. Similar intermediate catch basins can,"of course, be provided between adjacent street intersections, if desired. The main'sewer lines l0, ID are laid with the usual inclination in one direction for proper drainage.

-A plurality of intercepting discharge lines l2, I2 from-homes, factories or the like, lead directly into the main lines Ill, l0 intermediate the catch basins H, H.

Each mainv catch'basin may be made as usual of, masonry with an opening l3 at the top, closed as usual by a manhole cover M flush with the surface H) of the street. Thestreet is also provided as usual with curbings l6, l6.

At suitablepositions at or near the curbings IE, IS are provided a plurality of drainage reservoirs 20, 23, each having an opening 2| at its top covered by a suitable grill 22, designed to permit ready drainage of water from along the curbing into said reservoir.

Each of the auxiliary reservoirs 28, 28 drains into an adjacent main catch basin by an inclined conduit 23 which opens from the auxiliary reservoir at a point considerably above its bottom, and likewise discharges into the catch basin at a point considerably above the bottom of the latter.

Although a veryjsimilar arrangement of intersecting sewer lines, central catch basms and auxiliary reservoirs have heretofore been commonly employed in sewerage systems, it will be understood that with such previous systems both the central catch basins andthe auxiliary reservoirs were for cleaning purposes only, and have uniformly been very much smaller in comparison with the size of the main sewer pipes or conduits, which determine to a large extent the normal capacity of thesystem. For instance, assume that the main sewer pipes H), H) are approximately 24 inches inside diameter, which is standard for many municipal systems, the central catch basin employed therewith usually is in the neighborhood of 3 feet in diameter, that is to say only slightly larger than the manhole cover used therewith. Previous sewerage systems also have employed drainage lines from inlets adjacent the curbing, but such inlets usually consist of relatively small grills over small silt traps, each having a total capacity of but a few gallons.

In my improved system each central catch basin H has a vastly increased capacity in comparison to the size of the main sewer lines. For instance, in the form shown herein, the central basin is approximately 12 .feet in diameter for a height of approximately feet near its bottom and tapers upwardly from its enlarged bottom portion to the manhole cover id, as shown. The total capacity of each catch basin will depend upon the depth of the basin, which is varied, depending upon the depth of the main sewer lines Hi, It! with which it is connected, but in any case, its capacity is many times greater than that of catch basins which have heretofore been employed, as will hereinafter be more fully set forth.

The auxiliary reservoirs 20, are likewise formed with a far greater capacity than has heretofore been employed in sewerage-systems.

For instance, in the form shown each of said auxiliary reservoirs has a maximum diameter of 8 feet for a height of 5 feet and tapering upwardly therefrom to the cover or grill 22 as shown.

The connecting conduits 23, 23 from the auxiliary reservoirs 20, '20 to their associated catch basin l I may, forv instance, consist of 8 inch inside diameter pipes, although the exact size of these conduits is not especially critical. In the preferred form shown the bottom of each of the auxiliary reservoirs 20, 20 is disposed some what above the .level of the bottom of the associated central catch basin H, a suificient distance to insure proper drainage, and also to permit venting of air or gas from above the water level in the central basin ll, through the conduits 23 and reservoirs .20. For instance, in the form shown in Figure 2 the bottom of each'auxiliary reservoir may be approximately 1 foot above the top of the adjacent main sewer line system consisting of the main line pipes l0, 10.

In connection with each of the auxiliary reservoirs 26, 29 I provide a siphon pipe 24, having one end disposed slightly above the bottom thereof and having the other end leading into the main sewer system. In the form shown in Figure 2 the siphon is disposed along and within the discharge pipe 23 leading to the main catch basin M So that the lowermost end of the siphon discharges directly into said catch basin, as shown. With this arrangement it will be understood that each of the auxiliary reservoirs 20, 20 will serve to receive relatively large quantities of water during a heavy rain or flash flood, and when full the water will be emptied therefrom through the discharge tube 23 into the catch basin i. "Thereafter the siphon 24 will operate automatically to discharge the water from said auxiliary reservoir to a point near the bottom of the latter.

It will be understood, of course, that the open end of the siphon within the auxiliary reservoir must be higher than the end of the siphon where it discharges into the central catch basin II. In the form shown in Figure 3 the intake end of the siphon 24 may be approximately 12 inches above the bottom of the auxiliary reservoir while the discharge end of the siphon may be approximately 2 feet lower.

The arrangement of the siphon 24 shown in Figure 3 where it is led through the discharge pipe 23 affords an especially simple constructionisince the siphon can be readily installed in the system with a minimum of labor and can also vbe readily removed or replaced, and can be cleaned .from either end. In the modified form of siphon 25 shown in Figure 4, the siphon pipe is led directly from the auxiliary reservoir 20 to oneof the adjacent main line pipes 10 instead ofbeing passed through the outlet pipe 23 leading from said auxiliary reservoir. This arrangement of siphon 25 shown in Figure 4 provides an auxiliary .air vent to the main sewer line If] at a point comparatively remote from the central catch basin so as to assist in relieving air or gas pockets which otherwise may tend to form in the main line It].

Although the capacity and shape of the auxiliary reservoirs 2'0, 29 may be varied from that shown and described herein, it will be understood that said reservoirs are preferably made suiflciently large to receive and store, temporarily, any amount of water in excess of the normal capacity of the sewerage system, particularly in cases of sudden rains or flash floods so as to hold enough of the excess Water back to give more time for the entire sewerage system to adjust itself to flood conditions, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

Similarly, the catch basins, H, H may vary in size and shape from that herein shown and de- "scribed, but in practice I find that the capacity of each catch basin should preferably be at least substantially equal to the total capacity of the main line sewers Ill, 10 with which it is directly connected. Where this preferred relationship is maintained each catch basin II will serve as a prompt relief for any water that may tend to be temporarily discharged or backed up thereinto from any one of the connected main sewer lines.

The operation of my improved sewerage system may now be explained as follows:

Referring first to the function of the relief catch basins 'l I, I I, in my improved system it will be understood that in the normal operation the main sewerage lines Ill, H] are of ample capacity to discharge sewage from homes, oflice buildings, factories and the like, by gravity flow, with the sewage occupying but a small portion of the diameter of the several sewer lines. In case of a sudden rainfall however, the rain water from the streets rushes into the system through the gutter drains and also through the intersecting drainage lines connected directly with the main lines l8, l0 so as, to disturb the normal flow through the sewerage system at the moment the latter is called upon to take care of a greatly increased flow. The added influx of water takes place quite irregularly throughout the system; for instance, there may be a much greater influx through cerrain of the intercepting discharge lines l2, l2 near opposite ends of a single main conduit 10 than toward the middle portion of said conduit. Also certain overlying areas may tend to drain quicker than. other areas so as to overload certain oi. the main sewer lines III, III before others.

As a result of this sudden uneven discharge of water into the main lines, which shortly before were only partially filled with water, there is a tendency for the system to become choked, due to turbulences, attended with the entrapment of gas pockets at localized points alon the main line conduits, toa degree that the pushload is insufficient to produce flow in the normal directionof drainage. Consequently, the entire system may bebaeked up and choked at several points, so as to be rendered practically ineffective for a considerable period of time. Accordingly, means must be provided for relieving the gas pockets as soon as they form, so that the sewerage system may readjust itself quickly to its proper operating conditions, for discharge of the accumulated water at full capacity.

I find that by providing relief and auxiliary chambers II and 2!] of sufficient size, as herein shown and described, it is possible to eliminate almost instantly such gas pockets, with their attendant difiiculties above described.

The large relief chambers I I are so arranged as to permit the water in each length of main pipe II) connected thereto, to readjust itself promptly to flow in the proper direction, by permitting any air pockets in individual mains to be quickly discharged and relieved at either end, in one chamber or another (in some cases, backing up, momentarily, if necessary, against the normal direction of flow) until the proper flow to the full capacity of each main is established throughout the system. In this manner any local blocks will be quickly alleviated, and the system will promptly begin to function to its full capacity, draining in the proper direction.

Duringthereadjustment of' the flow the level of the sewage in the large catch basins II, I I will of course rise to a considerable height; in fact, the catch basins may become completely filled with water at times, but the water lever will again resume its normal height after the emergency has passed.

The auxiliary reservoirs 20, 2!] cooperate with the catch basins II, II and the remaining parts of the sewerage system in the following manner; in the case of a sudden rain said reservoirs are sufficiently large and deep to receive a large portion of the rain before any of the water starts to drain through the connecting pipes 23. 23 adjacent catch basin II. In this manner the initial flood of water from a rainstorm is held back a sufficient length 'of time to permit the rain water which is discharged directly from buildings, etc., into the main line conduits I0, I!) to fill said main line conduits and readjust the flow therealon by eliminating the air or gas pockets therefrom, before any substantial flow of the main conduits I I], II] can be relieved much more efiectively when there is a minimum amount of water in the bottom of the catch basinsI I, I I to permit rapid expansion or flow from said conduits as may be required to relieve the latter.

After the main conduits I0, I0 have been relieved of air pockets and the normal flow of water has been established to full capacity through said conduits any amount of water can be discharged from the auxiliary reservoirs through pipes 23, 23 into the adjacent catch basins I I, I I without interfering with the normal flow of water through the system.

After the rainstorm has ceased each of the reservoirs 20, 20 will continue to be drained through the pipes 23, 23 until the water lever has reached the opening of said pipes. Thereafter the siphons 24, zd will be called into operation to continue the draining of the several auxiliary reservoirs to' a point near the bottom of each. The reservoirs will then be substantially empty ready for receiving the next sudden influx of water as before.

By utilizing the novel principles herein disclosed and described, it is possible to increase the capacity of a, sewer system using the same size main sewer lines by as much as two and onethird times the capacity attained by sewerage systems of a conventional type. In many instances it will be found that this added capacity will be sufiicient to take care of all excessive loads, thereby rendering the use of auxiliary storm sewer systems unnecessary Although I have shown and described certain steps and forms of my invention, it will be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction shown and described, but that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an underground sewerage system, a network of main sewer lines with catch basins at intersections thereof, said main sewer lines having a plurality of drainage connections at various points therealong, said catch basins having suflicient capacity to receive substantially the full volume of the main sewer lines connected thereto, drainage reservoirs connected to said catch basins through an outlet opening substantially above the bottom of each reservoir, the total capacity of the reservoirs below their outlets connected to each of said catch basins being sufficient to hold back the water received in said reservoirs from a sudden rain for a period of time to permit substantial evacuation of gas pockets from said lines by expansion into said catch basins, and siphon pipes arranged to evacuate sewage from said reservoirs from below the level of their respective outlets into lower points in said sewerage system.

2. In an underground sewerage system, a network of main sewer lines with catch basins at intersections thereof, said main sewer lines having a plurality of drainage connections at various points therealong, said catch basins having sufficient capacity to receive substantially the full volume of the main sewer lines connected directly thereto, drainage reservoirs connected to said catch basins through an outlet opening substantially above the bottom of each reservoir, the total capacity of the reservoirs below their outlets connected to each of said catch basins being sufiicient to hold back the water received in said reservoirs from a sudden rain for a period of time to permit substantial evacuation of gas pockets from said" lines by expansion into said catch basins, and siphon pipes extending through said outlets arranged to evacuate sewage from said reservoirs from below the level of their respective outlets into lower points in the adjacent catch basin.

3. In an underground sewerage system, a net-- work of main sewer lines with catch basins at intersections thereof, said main sewer lines having aplurality of drainage connections, at various points therealong, said catch basins having sufficient capacity to receive substantialy the full volume of the main sewer lines connected directly thereto, drainage reservoirs connected to said catch basins through an outlet opening substantially above the bottom of each, reservoir, the total capacity of the reservoirs below their outlets connected to each of said catch basins being sufficient to hold back the water received in said reservoirs from a sudden rain for a period of time to permit substantial evacuation of gas pockets from said lines by expansion into said catch basins, and siphon pipes arranged to evacuate sewage from said reservoirs from below the level of their respective outlets into lower points in an adjacent main sewer line.

4. In an underground sewerage system, a network of main sewer lines with catch basins at intersections thereof, and drainage reservoirs each connected to said catch basins through a duct having an outlet opening disposed substantially above thebottom of said reservoir to form a storage basin below said outlet, and a, siphon pipe arranged to evacuate the sewage from said storage basin into a lower point in said sewerage system.

5. In an underground sewerage system, a network of main sewer lines with catch basins at intersections thereof, and drainage reservoirs each connected to said catch basins through a duct having an outlet opening disposed substantially above the; bottom: of said: reservoir to form a storage basin below'sa'id outlet, and a. siphon pipe extending through said outlet arranged to evacuate the sewage from said storage basin into a lower point in the adjacent catch basin.

6'. In an underground sewerage system, a network of main sewer lines with catch basins at intersections thereof, and drainage reservoirs each connected to said catch basins through a duct having an outlet opening disposed substantially above the bottom of said reservoir to: form a storage basin below said outlet, and a siphon pipe connected directly to an adjacent main sewer line at a lowerpoint arranged to evacuate the sewage from said storage basin into said sewer line.

'7'. In an underground sewerage system, a network of main sewer lines, with catch; basins at intersections thereof, and drainage reservoirs each connected to said catch basins through a duct having an outlet opening disposed substantially above the bottom of said reservoir to form a storage basin below said, outlet, and a siphon pipe connected directly to an adjacent main sewer line at a lower point arranged to evacuate the sewage from said storage basin into said sewer line, and also providing an auxiliary air vent for the latter.

VIGIOR WACHTA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 4:5,5'7'7- Bohen- Dec. 27, 1864 343,853 Rosewater June 1-5, 1886 552,108 Dunlap -Dec. 31,1895 727,446 Richert May 5, 1903 1,997,801 Lockhart Apr. 16, 19-35 

